Mastering the artwork of expressing numbers in English is essential for efficient communication. Whether or not it is for on a regular basis conversations, formal shows, or written correspondence, figuring out tips on how to precisely and clearly convey numerical data is crucial. The English language provides a wealthy and versatile system for representing numbers, starting from easy digits to complicated expressions. Understanding this technique will empower you to navigate the intricacies of quantity illustration, guaranteeing that your communication is exact and impactful.
One of many key facets of writing numbers in English is the usage of commas. Commas function placeholders, serving to to separate giant numbers into smaller, extra manageable items. This enhances readability and makes it simpler for the reader to understand the magnitude of the quantity. For example, as an alternative of writing “1234567890,” it’s extra acceptable to put in writing “1,234,567,890.” Moreover, commas are used when a quantity exceeds three digits and is adopted by a decimal level. For instance, the quantity 3.14159 may be written as “3,141.59” to enhance readability.
One other necessary facet of writing numbers in English is the usage of phrases. Whereas digits are sometimes used for smaller numbers, phrases are employed for bigger numbers or when the quantity is the topic of a sentence. For example, as an alternative of writing “25,” one would possibly write “twenty-five.” When utilizing phrases to specific numbers, it’s important to concentrate to the suitable type of the phrase. For instance, “one” ought to be used when the quantity is the topic of a sentence, whereas “a” or “an” ought to be used when the quantity is preceded by a noun. Moreover, numbers that finish in “teen” or are multiples of ten ought to be hyphenated when written in phrases (e.g., “13,” “thirty-two”).
Numbers as Digits
The digits used within the English language to symbolize numbers are:
| Digit |
Quantity |
| 0 |
zero |
| 1 |
one |
| 2 |
two |
| 3 |
three |
| 4 |
4 |
| 5 |
5 |
| 6 |
six |
| 7 |
seven |
| 8 |
eight |
| 9 |
9 |
Writing the #1
The number one is a particular case, as it’s the solely quantity that has two completely different spellings. When used by itself, the number one is spelled "one". Nevertheless, when used as half of a bigger quantity (e.g., 10, 11, 12), the number one is spelled "one".
Moreover, the number one will also be spelled "first" when utilized in ordinal type (e.g., first, second, third).
Examples
- 100
- One thousand
- First place
- Second place
- Third place
Numbers as Phrases
In English, numbers may be written as phrases as an alternative of numerals. That is typically achieved for numbers which might be small or which might be a part of a sentence.
Numbers One to Ten
Listed below are the numbers from one to 10 as phrases:
| Quantity |
Phrase |
| 1 |
one |
| 2 |
two |
| 3 |
three |
| 4 |
4 |
| 5 |
5 |
| 6 |
six |
| 7 |
seven |
| 8 |
eight |
| 9 |
9 |
| 10 |
ten |
Numbers Eleven to Nineteen
The numbers from eleven to nineteen are fashioned by combining the phrases for those digit and the phrase “teen”. For instance, eleven is written as “oneteen”, twelve is written as “twoteen”, and so forth.
Numbers Twenty to Ninety-9
The numbers from twenty to ninety-nine are fashioned by combining the phrases for the tens digit and those digit. For instance, twenty-one is written as “twenty-one”, thirty-two is written as “thirty-two”, and so forth.
Written Quantity Format
### Numerals
English makes use of Hindu-Arabic numerals (0, 1, 2, 3, …, 9) to symbolize numbers in writing. These numerals are broadly utilized in arithmetic, science, and on a regular basis life. They’re additionally used to symbolize giant numbers, comparable to 1,000,000 (a million) or 1,000,000,000 (one billion).
### Phrases
Numbers will also be written out in phrases, particularly in non-technical contexts. For instance, the quantity 12 may be written as “twelve”, and the quantity 100 may be written as “100”. When writing out numbers in phrases, you will need to use the right spelling and grammar. For instance, the quantity “5” is spelled with a “v”, and the quantity “ten” is spelled with an “e”.
### Hyphens
Hyphens are used to attach the phrases that make up a compound quantity. For instance, the quantity “twenty-one” is written with a hyphen, and the quantity “100 and one” can be written with a hyphen. Hyphens usually are not used to attach the phrases that make up a decimal quantity. For instance, the quantity “one level 5” is written with no hyphen.
| Quantity | Phrase |
|—|—|
| 0 | zero |
| 1 | one |
| 2 | two |
| 3 | three |
| 4 | 4 |
| 5 | 5 |
| 6 | six |
| 7 | seven |
| 8 | eight |
| 9 | 9 |
| 10 | ten |
| 11 | eleven |
| 12 | twelve |
| 13 | 13 |
| 14 | fourteen |
| 15 | fifteen |
| 16 | sixteen |
| 17 | seventeen |
| 18 | eighteen |
| 19 | nineteen |
| 20 | twenty |
| 30 | thirty |
| 40 | forty |
| 50 | fifty |
| 60 | sixty |
| 70 | seventy |
| 80 | eighty |
| 90 | ninety |
| 100 | 100 |
| 1,000 | one thousand |
| 1,000,000 | a million |
| 1,000,000,000 | one billion |
Ordinal and Cardinal Numbers
The quantity 4 is an important quantity in lots of cultures and languages worldwide. In English, the quantity 4 has numerous varieties relying on whether or not it’s used as an ordinal or a cardinal quantity.
Cardinal Numbers
Cardinal numbers are used to symbolize portions and are sometimes utilized in counting or expressing quantities. In English, the cardinal quantity for 4 is “4.”
Ordinal Numbers
Ordinal numbers are used to point place or order in a sequence. In English, the ordinal quantity for 4 is “fourth.”
Particular Makes use of of the Quantity 4
The quantity 4 has many particular makes use of and symbolic meanings in several contexts:
| Contexts |
Symbolism or That means |
| Tarot playing cards |
Stability, group, and grounding |
| Christianity |
The 4 Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) |
| Music |
Fourth interval in Western music principle |
| Science |
4 elementary forces in physics |
| Tradition |
Thought of a fortunate quantity in lots of Asian nations |
Hyphenated Numbers
There are a variety of cases the place numbers ought to be hyphenated. These embody:
- Fractions
- Adjectives which might be fashioned from numbers
- Ordinal numbers which might be tenth or larger
Fractions
Fractions which might be lower than one ought to all the time be hyphenated, no matter whether or not the numerator accommodates one digit or extra. For instance, you’d write “one-half” and “two-thirds”.
Adjectives That Are Fashioned From Numbers
When a quantity is used to type an adjective, it ought to be hyphenated. For instance, “fifty-dollar invoice” and “two-year-old youngster”.
Ordinal Numbers That Are Tenth or Higher
Ordinal numbers which might be tenth or larger ought to be hyphenated. For instance, “tenth”, “eleventh”, “twelfth”, and so forth. Nevertheless, the numbers “first”, “second”, and “third” usually are not hyphenated.
The next desk supplies a abstract of the principles for hyphenating numbers:
| Quantity |
Hyphenated |
| 1/2 |
one-half |
| $50 |
fifty-dollar |
| 2 years previous |
two-year-old |
| tenth |
tenth |
| eleventh |
eleventh |
| twelfth |
twelfth |
Fractions
When writing a fraction, the numerator (high quantity) is written earlier than the denominator (backside quantity), separated by a slash (/). For instance, one-half is written as 1/2.
Fractions may be written in two methods: as a standard fraction or as a decimal.
A typical fraction is a fraction that’s written within the type of a/b, the place a is the numerator and b is the denominator.
A decimal is a fraction that’s written within the type of x.y, the place x is the entire quantity and y is the decimal half.
Decimals
Decimals are written with a decimal level (.) separating the entire quantity from the decimal half.
Rule 6: Writing Decimals
When writing a decimal, there are a number of guidelines to comply with:
- The decimal level have to be positioned after the entire quantity and earlier than the decimal half.
- If the decimal half is lower than 1, then a 0 have to be positioned earlier than the decimal level.
- If the decimal half is bigger than 1, then the decimal level have to be positioned after the entire quantity and earlier than the primary digit of the decimal half.
The next desk exhibits some examples of decimals and the way they’re written in English:
| Decimal |
Written in English |
| 0.5 |
Zero level 5 |
| 1.25 |
One level two 5 |
| 10.5 |
Ten level 5 |
Roman Numerals
Roman numerals are a system of numerical notation utilized in historic Rome. They’re primarily based on seven primary symbols: I, V, X, L, C, D, and M.
The worth of a Roman numeral is decided by the next guidelines:
- The worth of a single image is the same as its face worth.
- The worth of an emblem that’s repeated is the same as the face worth of the image multiplied by the variety of occasions it’s repeated.
- The worth of an emblem that’s adopted by an emblem of larger worth is the same as the distinction between the face values of the 2 symbols.
The quantity 7 in Roman numerals
The quantity 7 may be written in Roman numerals as VII. It is because 7 is the sum of 5 and a pair of, that are represented by the symbols V and II, respectively.
The quantity 7 will also be written as VII, which is a extra frequent means of writing it.
| Roman numeral |
Worth |
| VII |
7 |
| VII |
7 |
Scientific Notation
Scientific notation is a means of writing numbers which might be very giant or very small in a concise and handy means. It’s utilized in many scientific and engineering functions.
A quantity written in scientific notation has two elements: a coefficient and an exponent.
The coefficient is a quantity between 1 and 10. The exponent is an integer that represents the variety of occasions 10 is multiplied by itself to get the unique quantity.
For instance, the quantity 6.022 x 1023 is written in scientific notation. The coefficient is 6.022, and the exponent is 23. Because of this 6.022 x 1023 is the same as 6.022 multiplied by 10, 23 occasions. In different phrases, it is the same as 602,200,000,000,000,000,000,000.
Scientific notation can be utilized to put in writing very giant and really small numbers in a compact and easy-to-read means. For instance, the quantity 0.0000000000000000000000000000001 may be written as 1 x 10-24. Because of this 0.0000000000000000000000000000001 is the same as 1 multiplied by 10, -24 occasions. In different phrases, it is the same as 0.0000000000000000000000000000001.
Instance
The quantity 8 may be written in scientific notation in a number of methods.
A method is to put in writing it as 8.000 x 100. Because of this 8 is multiplied by 10, 0 occasions. In different phrases, it is the same as 8.
One other solution to write 8 in scientific notation is 8.000 x 10-1. Because of this 8 is multiplied by 10, -1 occasions. In different phrases, it is the same as 0.8.
Lastly, 8 will also be written as 8.000 x 101. Because of this 8 is multiplied by 10, 1 occasions. In different phrases, it is the same as 80.
The desk under exhibits the other ways to put in writing 8 in scientific notation.
| Coefficient |
Exponent |
Worth |
| 8.000 |
0 |
8 |
| 8.000 |
-1 |
0.8 |
| 8.000 |
1 |
80 |
Telephone Numbers
When writing out a cellphone quantity, embody the world code, alternate, and line quantity. Separate every half with a hyphen or house. For instance, you possibly can write out a cellphone quantity as “555-123-4567” or “555 123 4567.” In case you are writing a cellphone quantity in a global format, embody the nation code adopted by the world code, alternate, and line quantity. For instance, you possibly can write out a global cellphone quantity as “+1 555-123-4567.”
Dates
When writing out a date, embody the month, day, and 12 months. Separate every half with a slash or hyphen. For instance, you possibly can write out a date as “12/31/2023” or “12-31-2023.” In case you are writing out a date in a global format, embody the day, month, and 12 months. For instance, you possibly can write out a global date as “31/12/2023.”
The Quantity 9
The quantity 9 may be written in a wide range of methods, relying on the context. Basically, it’s written because the numeral “9”. Nevertheless, it will also be written out because the phrase “9”. In some circumstances, the quantity 9 could also be represented by the image “IX”.
Here’s a desk summarizing the other ways to put in writing the quantity 9:
| Numeral |
Phrase |
Image |
| 9 |
9 |
IX |
When writing out the quantity 9 in a sentence, you will need to use the right type. For instance, you’d write “There are 9 apples within the basket” slightly than “There are 9 apples within the basket.”
Grammatical Issues
When writing numbers in English, there are specific grammatical issues to bear in mind.
10
The quantity 10 is a particular case in the case of writing in English. It’s the solely two-digit quantity that’s written as one phrase, “ten”. Because of this, the grammatical issues for “10” are considerably completely different than these for different numbers.
Typically, “10” is a singular noun. Because of this it takes a singular verb, comparable to “is” or “was”. For instance:
| Incorrect |
Right |
| Ten apples are on the desk. |
Ten apples is on the desk. |
Nevertheless, there are some exceptions to this rule. For instance, when “10” is utilized in a collective sense, it might take a plural verb. For instance:
| Incorrect |
Right |
| The ten of us are going to the park. |
The ten of us goes to the park. |
Moreover, when “10” is used as a fraction, it might take a plural verb. For instance:
| Incorrect |
Right |
| One-tenth of the pie is left. |
One-tenth of the pie are left. |
Learn how to Write a Quantity in English
Writing numbers in English may be complicated, particularly for non-native audio system. There are completely different guidelines for writing numbers relying on their dimension and context. This information will offer you the essential guidelines for writing numbers in English.
Common Guidelines:
- Numbers from one to 9 are written as phrases.
- Numbers from ten to nineteen are written as one phrase.
- Numbers from twenty to ninety-nine are written as two phrases.
- Numbers from 100 to 9 hundred ninety-nine are written as three phrases.
- Numbers from one thousand to 9 hundred ninety-nine thousand are written as three phrases, with the phrase “thousand” added on the finish.
- Numbers from a million to 9 hundred ninety-nine million are written as three phrases, with the phrase “million” added on the finish.
Exceptions:
- The quantity “zero” is all the time written as a phrase.
- The numbers “eleven” and “twelve” are written as one phrase.
- Numbers that finish in “-teen” (e.g., 13, fourteen) are written as one phrase.
Individuals Additionally Ask
How do I write a big quantity in English?
To write down a big quantity in English, you should use the next format:
- Write the quantity in digits.
- Add a comma after each three digits.
- Finish the quantity with the suitable phrase (e.g., thousand, million, billion).
How do I write a decimal quantity in English?
To write down a decimal quantity in English, you should use the next format:
- Write the quantity as a complete quantity.
- Add a decimal level.
- Write the decimal a part of the quantity as a fraction.
How do I write a fraction in English?
To write down a fraction in English, you should use the next format:
- Write the numerator as a cardinal quantity.
- Add the phrase “over”.
- Write the denominator as a cardinal quantity.
